I realized that the religious essentials that Prophets 'alaihim-us-salam'
had taught in the beginning had been changed and turned into entirely
different forms in the course of time. What had survived of them
was only a few facts. Various legends had been mixed into the
lives of those great, distinguished people, and their deeds had
been transformed into myths and reached us as a conglomerate of
mysterious stories. In contrast with all these ruins, one true
religion, Islam, has preserved its pristine purity and simplicity
from the day it was revealed to the present time and, without
being polluted with any sort of superstitions or legends, it has
survived to our age. The Qur'an al-karim is the same today as
it was in the time of Muhammad a.s.. Not a word of it has changed.
The blessed utterances of Muhammad a.s. have reached our day in
exactly the same literal form as they were pronounced by him,
without undergoing any alterations.
Allahu ta'ala
sent Prophets 'alaihim-us-salawatu wattaslimat' to humanity whenever
He deemed it necessary. They are complementary to one another.
In consideration of the fact that the teachings of other Prophets
'alaihim-us-salawatu wattaslimat' have been interpolated and changed
into annoying incongruities, is there another way which one could
find more logical than accepting the Islamic religion, which has
remained the most intact, the purest, and the truest? As a matter
of fact, a simple and useful religion unsullied with illogical
superstitions was what I was questing for. The Islamic religion
is that very religion. The Islamic religion shows one by one all
my duties towards Allahu ta'ala, towards my neighbours, and towards
all humanity. Although this was originally the main objective
of all religions, their tenor has been watered down into unintelligible
credal tenets. In contrast, the Islamic religion embodies easily
understandable, simple, logical, convincing and useful principles
of belief. In Islam, alone, did I find the information concerning
the requirements to be fulfilled to attain peace and salvation
in this world and the next. It is for this reason that I became
a Muslim willingly."
J. W. Lovegrove is also mentioned on pages 138-139 of "Tarbiatul Ushaq" ("The Training of Divine Lovers"), Syed Mohammad Zauqi Shah, 1425/2004, pub. A.S. Nordeen, Kuala Lumpur, ISBN 983065185-1. The book relates how Lovegrove once saw the 13th Century poet and mystic Mawlana Rumi in a dream in which the poet told him to visit the mosque. Lovegrove undestood the meaning and became a Muslim. The account then goes on to say the Rumi began to teach him and even manifested in his worldly form. Lovegrove asked for the poet's permission to photograph him and this was granted and the photograph was taken.
Lovegrove corresponded with Hazrat (Syed Muhammad Zauqi Shah - the sufi Master) who had a portrait of Maulan Rumi. On comparison of the photograph with the portrait the similarities were very clear.
Below are some photographs of J W Lovegrove taken from a book entitled 'Muslim Prayer' which shows various characters from the Woking Mission carrying out the different postures of prayer. These pictures were kindly supplied by Richard Cain who found a copy of the book in an old air raid shelter near the Woking mosque.
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